After all, Ryan never has accepted and never will take full blame for the Bills' fall from fourth overall in defense in 2014 to 19th during his two seasons as the team's coach.

So, in explaining why the Jaguars wanted Dareus, Ryan noted that "statistically, they're dead-last in run defense. So Marcell Dareus comes in, he's this big body that can plug the run. Now, I will say this: His nickname is Mr. Big Stuff. For two years that I had him? The only thing I saw him stuff were his pockets."

Ryan did add that Dareus had 10 sacks in 2014 while playing for former Bills coach Doug Marrone, who now leads the Jaguars. And, in an attempt to perhaps soften his criticism of Dareus, Ryan called him "the missing piece that they really need to solidify that defense."